Intermittent gearing for motion-picture machines.



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,Patented July 3, 1917.

1. KELLER. v INTERMITTENT GEARING FOR MOTION PICTURE MACHINES.

2 SNEETS-SHEET 2- lllll lu llll ul lw" llllmlll ll J EBEIIAH KELLER, OF CHICAGO. ILLINOIS.

mmurrrm emnme roa MOTION-PIQTUBE nscnmns.

Application filed June 18, 1816. Serial No. 104,419.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JEREMIAH KELLER, a

citizen of the United States, residin at Chicago, in the county of Cook and 'tate i of IlImois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements, in Intermittent Gearing for Motion-Picture Machines, of which the following is aispecification. The resent in, ention relates principally to mec ani'sm for controlling the feed of film through-the machine.

, The obj ,ts of the invention are, to p ovideagn n'sm for imparting to thefih: a relatively.

aperture, an stationary in front of the light aperture for a relatively long period of time, thereby permitting the shutter to make a-plurality of interruptions while the film is at rest; to provide a mounting for the star wheel of the film-feeding mechanism, whereby said wheel can be adjusted and maintained in proper (peripheral engagement with the rotating isk and cam member with which it cooperates; and to provide means which act as a shock absorber; to relieve the film, from the efl'ect of the blow when the pin of the disk member engages with the star wheel; The invention further consists in the features of construction and combination of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings:

Filgure 1, a front view of the casing, part y broken away, to show portions of the interior mechanism; 7

Fig. 2, a vertical section; through the eas- 16k movement In v i'g. 3, a detail plan view of theinechanism for impartin an intermittent move- "ment to the main hn feed sprocket, and showing a portion of thecarrying member for 'd mechanism;

Flg. '4, a viewof the star wheel and the rotating member for intermittently actuatin the same taken on the line 44 of Fig. 3; g. 5, a detail showingthe path of travel of the pin which actuates the star wheel with respect to the shaft on which the star wheel is mounted;

i 6, a detail filigceding sprocket and the star w eel; an Fig. 7, a detail of one end of the sprocke 1B. In the art to which the present invention Specification of Letters Patent.

ast the ligh veto allow the fi m to .remain riod qfmove'ment past the light aperture of the shaft carryin the Patented July 3,1917.

relates, the type of motion picture machine known as the intermittent film-feed, op crates upon the principle of drawing the film past the light aperture with a relatively quick movement, and allowing the picture to remain stationary in frontof the light Y aperture for' a relatively long period of timepand a shutter cooperates with the movement of this film so as to shut off the light during the movement of the film past the light aperture.

It has been determined best for the film to move sixteen times per second pastvthe light'aperture. Ithas also been proven'that 'a clearer projection is obtained by increasing the number oftimes the shutter acts during a period of film movement to cut oil the light: that is, increasing the number of light interruptions durin each period of film movement. By a 1m movement is meant the time from the commencement of one movement of the film past the light aperture until the next movcmentpast said aperture starts, thereby embracing one peand one period of rest infront of said aperture.

One of the main features of the present invention is to so move the film as to ob- 'tain the desired sixteen movemen s per sec end, but to make the period of rest in such proportion to the'period of movement as to allovvthe shutter to act four times during ing shaft 13 is a gear 14, whichmeshes with a pinion 15 on across-shaft 16. This crossshaft carries a film take-up sprocket 17, loosely-mounted on a sleeve 17 on said shaft,

and a film-feeding sprocket 18, fixedly. ae-

curedto the shaft 16, as will beseen from Fi 2.

e sleeve 17 has connectedthereto a pinion -19'meshing with a pinio'n 20, which in turn meshes with a inionq2 fmeshing with a. pinion 21 seen to the sprocket 18.

By this arrangement, the sprocket 17' is driven in reverse-direction to the sprocket 18. The sprocket 18 is positive'l driven" b' the shaft 16 and acts to pull e film o from the reel and feed it upward toward a chamber 22 formed by the cap pi'cm 10. The film is bent back upon itself within the chamber to form a loop 23 (see Fig, and then extends downward through e film gate past the light aperture 24 onto a main lmceding sprocket 25. It then passes between guide rollers 26 down to the take-up sprocket 17, and from the sprocket 17 down to the take-up reel. Thus, the film is fed with a circular path of travel through the machine from the supply reel onto the take- Joined to the sprocket -17, by 1 ins 17", having a sliding fit in one end we sprocket, is a threaded nut 27. The sprocket 17 is revolved through the gear connection from the sprocket 18, and the direct means of connection is a stud 176 'oined to the pinion 19. This stud ex s into a slot 17,

in the opposite end face of the sprocket: This permits of' a certain amount of lost motion'between the rocket 17 and the pinion 19, which allows t esfllocket 17 to swi back and forth on the sleev17, in accor 'ance whether tension is or is not placed on Gialspmcket- 17 by the film passing to the take-up reel. This swinging movement of the sprocket 17 causes the nut 27 to travel back and forth on the threaded surface 28 of the'shaft 16. This feature of moving the threaded nut has more to do with certain appliances for operating the fire doors for the ht aperture which a pliances are em. Y in my application rial No. 104,418, filed June 19, 1916', and entitled Motion- Picture machines and will not be gone into in the present case.

' Attached to the shaft 16 is a gear 30, which meshes with a pinion 31, .m turn meshing with-a pinion 32 attached to. a shaft 33. This shaft, at its outer end, has frictionally secured thereto a fly-wheel 34. A

cap-piece 35 is provided for holding this ,fly-wheel onto the shaft; and this cap-piece contains a spring 36, which, together with a washer 36, forms a frictional connection between the fly-wheel and'the shaft.

In the present machine, owing to the speed with which the star wheel -is turned, there is a sharp blow when the inof the disk strikes the star wheel. Such blow is objectionable in that it might result in the film beingtorn bytransmission of such blowto the main film-feeding sprocket. The shaft 33, barries the disk which operates the star whel. By attachin the fly-wheel to the shaft with this friction connection, when the pin of the disk strikes the star wheel, the blow will be cushioned by the slight slippage allowed between the fly-wheel and shaft, by reason of of said 'pin is positioned at the notch 46 is made, turns t e star wheela This s indle terminates at one end ma notch head 39 havin a bearing in a sleeve 40 formed on a shifta le film-feed a rocket carrier 42. At its other end the spin e terminates in a reduced pamion 41, having a bearing in the wall of a cup-aha portion 42 of the carrier 42. lnaddition to the Y a rocket 25, sleeve 37also has secured ereto a three-point starwheel 43.

' n will be noted that the ends of the spindie 37 are eccentric with to the reinainder thereof. By turn' the spindle through an instrument which is adapted to be inserted withinthe notch of the head 39,

the s indle will be thrown bodily in a back-- wa or forward direction about the eccentric center thereof. .This moves the 1 sleeve 37, carrying the star wheel, in and out, so as to maintain the faces of the star wheel in proper relation to the periphery of scan: 48 on'thedisk 44. The disk 44 is mounted the shaft 33 and-is continuously driven thereby.

The disk 44 carries'a pin 45 and is pro vided'with anotch 46 opposite said pin. As the disk revolves, the pin enters into one of the three grooves 47- in the star wheel 43, and, owing to the fact that the oint where the one-third revolution. After this turning Inovemeg:i the curved peripheries 47 of the star wh ride 'alon the periphery of the face of the cam 48 o the disk 44, thus looking the star wheel against further movement after the turning operation.

By referring to Fig. 4,it will be seen that the star whee being of a three-point character, will have curved surfaces, each of which comprise, as shown, one-sixth of the peripheryv of the face of the cam 48.v The star wheel will be turned by the pin 45 during aboutjone-tenth of a revolution of the disk, and will remain at rest during the remaining nine-tenths of such revolution. The star wheel operates the main film feeding sprocket, and thus the film travels past the light aperture for one-tenth of a period of movement, and remains at rest the other nine tenths of such period. This feature is of special importance with relation to the shutter operation. The shutter will act to cut ofi the 1' ht during the travel of the film pastthe ight aperture, and will continue to act while the film is at rest. It will therefore produce four interruptions ture, permitting the use of '18 of the picture and makes a better projection.

. This shutter. operation is allowed, because of the use of a three-point star wheel, which gives a quick movement past the light a pera small shutter blade, and the consequent production of a high number of interruptions during a period of film movement; As stated. each period of darkness produced by the shutter one-tenth of a film movement, and as there are four periods of darkness to each film movement, it follows that during each film movement" the light will be cut oil four-tenths of the time and will be on sixtenths of the time, thus giving ample light for rejecting purposes. TEE pin 45 will travel in such relation to the center of movement of the star wheel as to cause it to intersect the path or plane occupied by that portion of the shaft 37 on which the star wheel is mounted. Therefore, it is necessar to arrange the mounting for the star w eel so that this pin can clear it; and, in the construction illustratm],

-I form a notch 50 in the shaft 37, permitting the pin to clear, as will be understood from 5 and 7.

Durin the operation of these motion picture mac ines, the film will come out of ac curate registration with the light aperture,

so that a portion of two pictures will be si-- multaneousl y projected upon the screen. It it necessary, therefore, to move the film otherwise than by the regular feed move ment, so as to bodily shift the film to again bring it into proper registration with the light aperture.

In the present construction, the shaft 37, film-feed sprocket 25, disk 44, and the star wheel 43, are carried by the movable carrier. This carrier is formed with a hub 51 on one end (see Fig. 2), mounted in the walls of the casing, and at its other end is provided with a sleeve 51 journ'alcd in a plate 51". Connected to the hub is 1 collar 52 attached to a disk mounted to revolve within a stationary friction band 53". The collar is of an elongated construction. as will be seen from'Fig. l, and one -tcr of the star wheel to the film to bring it into proper rc ister with the light aperture; in other wor s,to perform what is known as aframing of the film.

I claim:

1. In a motion picture machine the combination of a. film-feedmg sprocket, a star 'wheel for rotating said sprocket intermittently, a disk and pin ii'iechanism for opera'ting the star wheeha spindle on which* tl1c star wheel is loosely mounted, the path of travel of said pin intersecting the plane in i 'which the spindle is lying,and said spindle being configurm'l at said point of intersec tion to permit the pin to clear thesamc, sub-"go stantiallyas described.

2. In a motion picture machine, the conibination of a film-feeding sprocket, a star wheel, a disk and pin mechanism for operating the star wheel. said pin intersecting in its movements the plane in which the mounting for the star wheel is located, and said mounting being arranged to permit a passage of the pin by the mounting, substantially as described.

33. In a motion picture machine, the coinbination of a film-feeding sprocket, a star wheel, av disk and pin mechanism for operating the star wheel. a spindleion which the star wheel is loosely mounted, said spindle being located within the ath of movement of the pin, and said spindle being cut away to permit passage of the in by the spindle, substantially as described 4, In a motion picture machine, the combination. of a film-feeding sprocket, a star wheel for actuating said sprocket, a disk wheel, a mounting for the star and pin mechanism for intermittently actu to said mechanism, substantially as described.

5. In a motion picture machine, the combination of a film-feeding sprocket, a star wheel for actuating said sprocket, a disk and pin mechanism for intermittently actuating the star wheel, an eccentric spindle upon which the star wheel is loosely mounted, said spindle when turned moving the axial ceninto proper relation with respect to thedisk and pin mechanism, substantially as described.

6. In a motion picture machine, the combination of a film-feeding sprocket. a star wheel for actuating said sprocket, a disk and pin mechanism for actuating the star wheel, a spindle upon which the star wheel and sprocket are loosely mounted; a bearin each end of the spindle, both ends 0% the spindle being eccentric with respect to the body of the spindle, and one end of the spindle terminatmg in for a head configured to re-- ceive a tool, and said spindle when turned shifting the axial center of the star wheel, substantially as described.

7. In a motion picture machine, the .com

'bination of a film-feeding sprocket, a star wheel for actuating said sprocket, a continuously rotatable member for actuating the star wheel, a shaft on which said member is maintained, and'meansf cushioning said rotatable member when it actuates the star wheehmibstentially as described.

8. In a motion picture machine, the combinatien of a film-feeding sprocket, a star wheel for ectuetin the sprocket, a contimh. r for actuating the star ously-rotating mem wheel, a shaft on {which the continuously rotating member ie' maintained, a fly-wheel on the shaft, and means permitting slippage of the fly-wheel with respect to the shaft to cushion the rotating member when it actuates the star wheel, substantially as described.

9. In a motion picture machine, the combination of a filmfeeding sprocket, means for intermittently actuatingsaid sprocket, a

shaft forming a portion of said actuating means, and means for cushioning said she t when the said means actuate said sprocket, substantially as described.

10. In a motion icture machine, the combination of a film-. eeding sprocket, a threepoint star wheel connected to said sprocket, a disk member, a pin carried by the disk member, adapted to engage and move the star. wheel, and means for absorbing the blow produced by the enga ementof the pin and star wheel, substantialy as described.

11; In 'a motion picture machine, the com- I bination of a film-feeding sprocket, a star wheel connected to said sprocket, means for engaging and intermittently turning said star wheel a partial revolution, and means for absorbing the blow produced when said star wheel engaging and turning means contacts with the star wheel, substantially as;

described.

JEREMIAH KELLER. 

